Five Trees early October with smoke.

Five Trees mid-October after rain.

Walks with Ella: Idaho

Dripping Woody Nightshade - what incredible color!

Ella playing in the Clearwater River

A molted exoskeleton of a Giant Stonefly – his cousins were nearby.

A river beach flower

Thistle seed pods. By the time we left these were a very dark brown.

Rosehip and Woody Nightshade

The Heart of the Monster NHP. According to Nez Perce legend, the hill in the middle of this field is the heart of the monster killed by Coyote and used to create 'the people' (Nimiipuu). The Clearwater River runs nearby, and we have seen quail, Canadian geese, golden eagles, blue herons, red-tailed hawks, mallards and lots of birds we don't know. Ella and I walked the trails and river banks here every day.

A lacy spray of Baneberry

Sacajawea Fountain in Lewiston, ID. George had a fair amount of doc-time in Lewiston (twin city with Clarkston on the WA side). Lung abscess, or as George calls it, a lung cloud. He's getting better.

Fishermen on the Clearwater River

Knowing nothing about this part of Idaho, we thought we'd check it out, and if we liked it, we'd stay a month. Although we came through a fair amount of smoke on the road, there was little smoke in Kamiah for the first few days, and then the winds shifted, more fires started, and we were swamped in smoke. Then the rains came.

Rosehips by the Clearwater River

This is our first view of Idaho just past Lolo Pass. It seemed like all of Idaho was on fire.

Kamiah (KAH-mee-eye), Idaho. The sweet, old-fashioned five-block long downtown area is below the hill.

Ohh, glad I didn't step in this. . .

Delicate.

Baneberry, which is quite poisonous

A side channel of the Clearwater River frequented by migrating water fowl. Ella loves to make these birds fly or swim as she trys to give chase, but can't.

Peering at Canadian geese through banks of grasses.

Cow Parsley going to seed

A sunny day; maple leaf

There are wild apple trees everywhere. As Ella well knows, quail love to nestle beneath them.

or on this little guy.

Blue Heron in flight . . .

and standing.

We were on the Lewis and Clark Trail, so were else to stay but the Lewis and Clark Resort. Great folks, and a lots of places to walk nearby.